U.S. No. 1 Carissa Yip Captures 2025 Cairns Cup Title in Dazzling Comeback Victory, Wins $65,000

American Underdogs Yip and Lee Defy Odds to Finish 1–2 Against World-Class Field

In what may be one of the most dramatic chess upsets of the year, International Masters (IM) Carissa Yip and Alice Lee — two of the youngest and lowest-rated players in the field — defied odds to finish first and second at the 2025 Cairns Cup.

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In a stunning display of resilience and brilliance, U.S. #1 women’s player International Master Carissa Yip, triumphed at the 2025 Cairns Cup, overcoming early setbacks to claim her first title in one of the world’s most prestigious women’s tournaments.

Twenty-one-year-old Yip, the U.S. No. 1 women’s player, overcame a rocky start to clinch her first Cairns Cup title and $65,000, while 14-year-old Alice Lee delivered a commanding performance throughout the tournament, finishing just behind her in second place.

“I’m excited to kick off my life in Saint Louis with a win at the Cairns Cup,” said Yip. “I had a bit of a shaky start and wasn’t feeling my best throughout the tournament, but I knew I had to turn things around. I’m proud I was able to power through and finish strong.”

Yip, an alum of the Young Stars Program in partnership with the Kasparov Chess Foundation and Saint Louis Chess Club, recently announced her move to Saint Louis to train at the Saint Louis Chess Club, is now setting her sights on becoming only the second American woman to earn the full Grandmaster (GM) title.

“It was a great tournament and a very worthy winner. We are very proud of Carissa and are thrilled she’s decided to call Saint Louis home to further her training,” said Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield, co-founder of the Saint Louis Chess Club.

The 2025 Cairns Cup final standings include:

Established in 2019, the Cairns Cup was created by the Saint Louis Chess Club to provide a competitive tournament for elite female players. Aptly named in honor of Saint Louis Chess Club co-founder Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield’s maiden name, the 2025 Cairns Cup featured a ten player field of top women from across the world competing for a $250,000 purse during the round robin style tournament held at the World Chess Hall of Fame from June 10-20. International Arbiter (IA) Maya Myers served as Chief Arbiter and IA Anastasia Sorokina was Deputy Arbiter.

To rewatch all of the action from the tournament broadcast visit the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube channel.

Next up: Catch World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and other top Grand Chess Tour players competing in the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia tournament, starting on July 2 with commentary from Grandmasters Yasser Seirawan and Peter Svidler, as well as IM Nazi Paikidze. Watch all the action live at grandchesstour.org

About the Saint Louis Chess Club

The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.

Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit saintlouischessclub.org.

About the World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries

The World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries (WCHOF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to building awareness of the cultural and artistic significance of chess. It opened on September 9, 2011, in the Central West End after moving from previous locations in New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami. Housed in a historic 15,900 square-foot residence-turned-business in Saint Louis' Central West End neighborhood, the WCHOF features World Chess Hall of Fame inductees, United States Chess Hall of Fame inductees selected by the U.S. Chess Trust, artifacts from the permanent collection and exhibitions highlighting the great players, historic games and rich cultural history of chess. The WCHOF partners with the Saint Louis Chess Club to provide innovative programming and outreach to local, national and international audiences. For more information, visit worldchesshof.org - and on social: Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube channels.

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In a stunning display of resilience and brilliance, U.S. #1 women’s player International Master Carissa Yip, triumphed at the 2025 Cairns Cup, overcoming early setbacks to claim her first title in one of the world’s most prestigious women’s tournament